


Beyond Artifice

by mo0nstone



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AI, Alternate Universe - Future, Artificial Intelligence, F/M, Love Story, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Smut, Tags May Change, Technology, everyone wears a device that tells them what to do, utopian or dystopian - you decide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-18 10:17:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17578982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mo0nstone/pseuds/mo0nstone
Summary: In a not-so-distant future, human society has developed artificial intelligence and designed a system where everyone gets to live the ultimate life. All choices and decisions, even down to the most mundane, are decided by an autonomous network of algorithms. Rey is mysteriously assigned a very rare activity and she meets a dark and handsome stranger in a coffee bar that defies expectations.





	1. We'll Never Know the 'Why'

I hit the ground hard, breathing hard. My muscles groaned as I struggled to get up again. I saw the scanners of the droids roam over my body, reading my pulse, breath rate, and lactic acid buildup. The combat droids whirred, down-regulating their difficulty to adjust for my fatigue.

“Final spar. Calibrated for your victory,” they hummed.

“For the last time, don’t tell me whether or not I’ll win. I’d rather not know,” I muttered, coming into a fighting stance with my staff.

“Your biometrics say otherwise, human 7R0230Y5.”

“Shut up.”

I navigated the droids more easily this time, as expected. Since I had started training with them, they always let me win the last round, I guess so I didn’t feel too defeated. I had to admit, it was gratifying to land hits on these droids after getting taken down so hard again and again for the last hour.

Once I had subdued the droids, they gave me their report of the session, beamed instantly to my wristlet to be added to my file with the biometric data collected by the wearable device. The nearest droid reported the most relevant numbers to me:

_Human 7R0230Y5, you landed 23% more hits than your previous session, which is an improvement in the 98th percentile. It is estimated that at this rate you will achieve proficiency within 3.4 months and mastery within 2.3 years. Calories burned projected to exceed daily intake by 12.6%, recommended nutritional input will be in your quarters when you arrive home. Recommended next activities are shower and then retire to the café for daily readings._

I had been shocked when the activity droids started ‘recommending’ quarter staff training. It was a fairly rare activity, at least from what I could see on the publicly available databases, and there were no current active users in my sector of the city. The recommendations weren’t really recommendations in the traditional sense. It was all based on algorithms. A network of supercomputers predicting the best and most preferred thing for each individual to do based on their genetics and then experiences over their lifespan. It also somehow factored in what was best for the common good, but at this point, the algorithms were so complicated that no human was able to comprehend the scope of it all.

I thought over what it must have been like before WAALI – Worldwide Artificial Autonomous Learning Initiative. People wasted so much energy making decisions and often made the wrong decision, which lead to all sorts of problems. WAALI did all the computing and calculated what was exactly right for us now, and as a result, life satisfaction rates and productivity were both rated at 100% across the world.

The shower beeped to let me know it was time to rinse, and the jet of soapy fluid transitioned to water and I watched as the lemongrass scented bubbles washed down the drain along with the sweat from my workout.

I walked purposefully through the streets at my normal pace, scanning the street around me. People went about their day with the same type of walk: unhurried but purposeful. It was a fairly short walk from the training gym to the café I was recommended almost every day. My wristlet pinged to let me know I was almost there. I felt my mouth curve into a smile at the thought of seeing my friends there.

A bell over the door rang as I came in. A girl seated at the coffee bar with a bob hair cut looked up from the book she had on the table and smiled. “Rey! I’m so happy to see you,” she exclaimed, already pulling out a seat for me next to her.

I smiled back, and as I approached the counter, my wristlet pinged again with a different tone, letting me know my order had been transmitted to the computer. There were a vast series of pings and tones that we had all learned since very early childhood. Everything was fairly intuitive, and most tones only were transmitted to the wearer of the wristlet. There were many for deviance that I hadn’t heard since I had been a child – running too fast, climbing a tree when I wasn’t supposed to, disobeying the wristlet’s recommendations. I heard mechanical whirring and then a drink slid out onto the pickup point. The liquid inside the mug was dark and I leaned over to smell – chocolate. The drink was then announced:

_342 milliliters of mocha for human 7R0230Y5._

“Ah, a mocha today, huh, Rey? You must be low on magnesium or something. You hardly ever get chocolate,” Rose quipped as she sipped her own mug filled with hot chocolate. “Me on the other hand, wow, you’d think I have a serial chocolate deficiency.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, Rose,” I laughed. “Is Finn here, too?”

“No, not yet. Based on the last week, I’d expect he’d be here around the same time as you, but who knows?”

Rose, Finn, and I had been recommended this same coffee shop nearly every day for the past couple of years. After a few weeks, we had noticed one another and started speaking to each other, at the recommendation of our wristlets. I’d met all of my friends and acquaintances this way – just happening to be in the same place and felt an encouragement vibration from my wristlet.

“What have you been up to today?” I asked Rose.

“Oh, you know, the usual. Badminton this morning, studying biomechanics afterwards, and then I’ve been here reading this book for an hour. Oh, I did have an excellent breakfast, though – some sort of burrito with salsa. This book is hella boring though, but every time I get bored, I get ‘recommended’ to keep going. I guess there’s something in here for me. What about you?”

“I tended to my plants this morning. I repotted one of them that was outgrowing its old pot. And then I had combat training, again!”

“I still can’t get over how strange that is. I’ve never even heard of anyone who’s been recommended that. Do you like it at least?” Rose thumped her book shut and leaned an elbow overtop, obscuring a shirtless muscular man on the cover.

“I do, I feel really great when they let me win, and I am slowly getting better. Is that a romance novel by the way?”

“Yes, Rey. Don’t give me heck about it, it’s not my fault. Like I said, I’m finding it very boring. This girl is getting dicked around by random assholes, and her stupid guy-friend who is obviously in love with her won’t make a move.”

At that moment, the bell chimed again, announcing another entrant into the café. It was Finn. He smiled widely and began to walk over to where we were sitting. I looked back at Rose, and she was blushing all the way up to the roots of her hair.

“I’ve got to go to the washroom. I’ll be back,” Rose whispered, jumping off of her chair. She got halfway to the washrooms before running back and snatching her book from the counter.

“What was that about? Is she okay?” Finn looked after her with concern across his features.

I grinned, and replied, “Yes, she’s totally fine. Just made an interesting discovery in her book, I think.”

Finn’s usual coffee slid out onto the pickup point along with a soft mechanical voice announcing: _250 milliliters of coffee with 20 grams of turbinado sugar, stirred lightly, for human 8F8645N6._

“I was later than usual today, and I don’t know why. My wristlet kept telling me to walk around the block again and again. I’m glad I finally get to sit down.”

I suppressed a giggle, feeling excited for my friends. “Maybe it just wanted you to get more steps in or something.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t seem right. I went on my usual 5K run this morning, so I don’t know why it would want me to do more,” Finn looked thoughtfully for a moment into his coffee before continuing. “Whatever, we’ll never know the whys, so it’s pointless to worry about it. This time just seemed so silly.”

“I think we’ll figure it out when we’re meant to figure it out. I mean I still have no idea why I’m in combat training, but I think WAALI knows best.”

Finn studied my face then, concern creeping into his features. “Maybe we should get your wristlet checked out or maintenanced or… something. Why would you need to be in combat training? What was wrong with your usual weight lifting?”

“I just had it updated a month ago, I think it should be fine. Do you think I should take it in to see Maz?”

My wristlet buzzed in the negative. No, not necessary, it was telling me. Rose emerged from the washroom then, significantly more composed than when she went in. She settled back into her seat, and greeted Finn with a small smile.

“Hey,” Finn said.

“Hi,” Rose said back, somewhat more reserved than normal.

Finn and Rose then pulled out their phones in unison, both probably responding to a ping from their wristlet letting them know about a recommendation.

Finn looked up at Rose and said, “I guess we’re going to dinner tonight?”

“Yeah, at Chez Miroir. That will be nice. I’m actually recommended to go home first, though,” Rose responded, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

“Me too. There’s a couple other stops here too. I’ll swing by yours at 6:30?” Finn replied, eyes widening as he read more of the recommendations on his phone.

“Well sounds like you both have a nice evening in store,” I commented, taking another sip of mocha. “I’m recommended to be here for a little while longer, so I’ll see you both tomorrow, hopefully.”

Rose and Finn stood to go, placing their empty mugs on the drop off point for collection. As they reached the door, Rose turned back and mouthed, “Wish me luck.” I winked back. She wouldn’t need it. Not with WAALI on her side.

I drained the rest of my mocha, and placed it on the drop off point. As I went back to my seat, I saw that Rose had left her book on the shelf next to the sink. She probably didn’t need it anymore, otherwise she would have been recommended to come back. I picked it up and thumbed through it, my curiosity getting the better of me. 

_Megan lifted her eyes to his, seeing a mirrored version of herself in the dark pools of amber._  
_“Megan, you will forever be my rose. I would happily spend an eternity in your garden, even if it meant getting pricked by a thousand thorns each day,” Jason professed, gripping her hands in his._

“Oh, that is just so cheesy,” I mumbled, flipping to another page.

 _“Lay back, baby. Let me see you.” Megan acquiesced and lay down on the rose petal strewn bed, allowing her shirt to fall open and revealing her bare self to Jason. His eyes lit up, and he hungrily dove forward, placing his lips onto her -_

My wristlet started buzzing in a warning tone. I felt my face heat as I snapped the book shut. I looked up and found myself looking into dark brown eyes. 

“Reading something good?” the stranger asked, his voice rumbling with a low timbre. A sly grin spread across his face, and he raised an eyebrow as he caught a glance of the cover. 

“I, uh, no, it’s my friend’s. She left it here,” I sputtered, putting the book face-down on the countertop. I felt my cheeks continue to redden. 

“Do you mind if I sit?” the man asked, gesturing to the chair beside me.

I looked at him blankly, my eyes roving over his arms, muscled chest, and generally well-built physique. His skin was pale and dotted with a constellation of moles. His dark, glossy hair hung loosely around his face, barely gracing the tops of his shoulders. He continued to look at me questioningly. 

“Oh, yeah, sorry, yes.”

He smiled, “Is that a yes, you mind, or a yes, you don’t mind if I sit?”

“Oh, sorry. I don’t mind at all.” I blushed even harder. At this rate, I’d be lucky if my face ever went back to normal. 

“Thanks. I’m Ben. I don’t think we’ve met before.” He extended his hand to me as he sat. I put my hand in his to shake, and felt shivers run down my spine as I saw just how small my hand was compared to his. I was utterly dwarfed by him. 

“I’m Rey. Do you come here often?”

“Rey, that’s a nice name. No, I don’t. I’m not usually one for coffee, but I had a sudden craving. Speaking of, I should get a drink.”

I watched him curiously as he then stood and approached the counter, looking at the photos of various beverages as if deciding what to have. He pulled out his phone and typed something in, which then slid out at the pickup point moments later. There was no accompanying announcement as there usually would have been.

As he wrapped a hand around his mug, I gasped softly. He wasn’t wearing a wristlet.


	2. Homeostasis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. It's exciting to write this world, but it's also a big job to build it all. I hope you enjoy, and thank you so much for reading, kudos & comments!

Ben returned with a steaming latte and sat down next to me again. I couldn’t help but stare at him in confusion. My mind was flooded with thoughts about his missing wristlet. Did he lose it? How did he order his drink? How did he know what to get? 

“So do you come here often?” he asked, nonchalantly sipping his drink.

I felt my mouth open even wider in shock. He wasn’t going to mention his wristlet? I noticed then that he was looking at me expectantly. Right. I composed myself and replied, “Yeah, almost every day. My friends are usually here too. They just left a little earlier.”

“I think I might have seen them leaving as I came in. They make a nice couple,” Ben observed. 

“Yeah, they do. Um, where is your wristlet?” I blurted out, unable to keep my curiosity at bay any longer.

Ben’s lips curved into a smile tinged with an indecipherable expression. “I don’t wear one.” 

My mouth popped open. As if he could read the questions from my mind, he continued, “I choose not to. Free will, you know?”

With a wink, he turned and took another sip of his latte. My wristlet then started buzzing, prompting me to check my phone. 

_Human 7R0230Y5, your heart rate and blood pressure are showing abnormal spikes. Please take three calming breaths. It is recommended that you return to your place of residence immediately. Further recommendations will follow._

As I looked up, I saw Ben watching me. “It’s telling you to go now, isn’t it?”

I nodded. “You don’t have to go, you know,” he said in a low voice, leaning towards me. My gaze fell on his lips, which were full and plush. He had a light five o’clock shadow, and I could smell a hint of cinnamon on his breath. I felt myself lean towards him in response. 

My wristlet pinged with a tone that was at once nostalgic and frightening: a tone of disobedience. If I continued to ignore the recommendations, I would get more of these tones, and they would become audible to the people around me, signalling my misconduct. As a child, I had frequently heard this tone, before I had learned it was just better to obey. 

The message was right, my heart was thumping hard in my chest now. I leaned away abruptly, trying to steady my breath. I stood and looked at the door and then looked at Ben, who was watching with a patient expression. My wristlet pinged again, more insistent. It then pinged again, set to sound every 30 seconds until I obeyed.

“I can’t. I have to go.” I left my cup on the counter and moved toward the door. Ben caught my wrist, holding my wristlet as well. At his touch, I felt electricity snake its way up my arm and into my chest. 

“Rey, stay. Please,” Ben implored, looking searchingly into my eyes. 

The pings were now audible. I flushed red hot with embarrassment. Other patrons in the cafe were beginning to stare. I could barely get the words out, but I managed to whisper, “I’m sorry,” as I tugged my wrist out of his hand. The skin around my wrist felt icy and hot, a perfect imprint of where our skin had touched.

I left the cafe at a run, sprinting down the street, feeling the familiar curves of the cobblestones beneath my shoes. The tones from my wristlet altered, becoming inaudible to everyone else but me, and warning me to slow down, catch my breath. Excessive movement was frowned upon, as it required more sustenance than usually prescribed. I did as it said, casting a glance over my shoulder. There were a few curious people glancing my way, but no Ben.

I slowed my pace to the usual walking speed, feeling my breathing and heart rate slow. In a few more blocks, I’d be home. The contours of the neighborhood, which I had turned down hundreds of times, calmed my nervous system. As I turned down each street, putting more distance between myself and Ben, I felt my system equilibrate. A ping from my wristlet notified me to check my phone once again.

_Nervous system homeostasis nearly reached. Good work, human 7R0230Y5. Time until home estimated 2 minutes. Recommended activity is meditation, followed by nourishment, and consumption of daily periodicals._

I flushed with pleasure. It was rare to get praise from WAALI. It meant I had done something very right. Usually, it had to do with the regulation of your biology - biofeedback it was called. Over the past 25 years, WAALI had eliminated mental illness, chronic disease, and even some acute illnesses linked to inflammation due to biofeedback. By helping humans to alter their own brain and body chemistry through precise body-mind manipulations, virtually any ailment could be cured within weeks. I didn’t know a lot about the full history of times before WAALI but I had been nearly brought to tears when I thought about the epidemic of mental health issues and chronic disease that plagued people then. 

Other times, praise from WAALI was a reinforcement tool for social behaviours. When a child was acting out of turn, we were praised for helping the child learn the proper behaviour. I thought back to when I was 14 and I had seen a child getting angry because another child had taken his toy. He had been so upset that he was throwing rocks up in the air, and they were landing all around, nearly misses to the other kids. Of course, his wristlet was making a ton of noises, but the child did not yet care about what others might think. I had approached the child and asked him if he wanted to play with me instead. Afterwards, I had gotten praise from WAALI. I still remembered the words: _Human 7R02320Y5, you did an excellent job of attaining and redirecting the child’s attention._ I got goosebumps thinking about it. 

My apartment was located in a quaint little district. Vines grew over the walls, tended to meticulously by local residents who were recommended to gardening. The door to my complex was painted bright blue, which always made me smile. Before heading inside, I gazed up, catching a peek of sunshine through the solar shields, feeling a wave of gratitude that we were given just the right amount of radiation from the sun to nourish the greenery and help our skin produce vitamin D. Once inside, I greeted BB, the robotic cat that prowled the main floor. BB had simulated orange and white fur, and always mewled at me, weaving through my legs. As I crouched down to pet him, I saw the sensors in his eyes scan my irises, confirming my identity. I stroked my fingers over his fur, silently thanking him for keeping us safe. No one could resist BB’s charm, and no one got by him either. 

I made my way through the foyer and climbed up the flight of stairs that lead to my hall. I lived in a complex with 12 people, as was standard for my district. I wasn’t familiar with every single person, but there were a few people who I was consistently recommended similar activities at similar times. There was Kaydel, who I sometimes was recommended to cook with. She was a couple doors down. Snap was always recommended to play ping pong, and I was always happy to be recommended to play with him. He was across from Kaydel. Amilyn Holdo was one of the older residents in the complex, and I’d met her twice when we were both recommended to try painting lessons. Those didn’t go well for me, so I wasn’t recommended that again. I guess I didn’t have a natural aptitude or sufficient liking for it. Who really knows, though?

When I touched my hand to the doorknob, my wristlet beeped to the door, and it unlocked. I was then ushered inside into my own personal oasis. I hadn’t been to many other personal residences, but mine was by far the most green. I had a potted plant on almost every surface. My yoga mat was sprawled out with a meditation cushion on top, arranged for me by the roombots, little droids that scurried around the floor, rearranging furniture and other objects as necessitated by WAALI. I plunked myself down onto the cushion and closed my eyes, sinking into a meditative calm. 

I don’t really know how much time goes by during my meditation sessions. I trust WAALI to keep the time, and if I lose myself in thought, a gentle buzz at my wrist brings me back. I go until I get the ping signifying that I am done. This time, however, I was disturbed by the sound of a paper. That was odd. Usually everything is programmed to either be completely silent or to play ambient ocean waves. I lifted my eyelids open just a crack, peering around my room. The lights were beginning to come on, slowly transitioning the room from daylight to the indoor lighting. Nothing appeared amiss. The roombots were tucked under the cupboards and under the bed. Over by the door, I saw a small piece of paper on the floor, folded once in half. My wristlet pinged, alerting me that my meditation was done. Perfect timing, as usual. 

I stood up and walked over to the piece of paper. I picked it up and held it in my fingers. It felt like a natural texture, similar to the very old books in the library I had been to a handful of times. It was rare to find paper like this nowadays. Paper now was made out of calcium carbonate, which was waterproof and had a silky texture. It was a much more efficient and environmentally friendly way of producing paper. Nearly all paper goods were made out of it, aside from any surviving books usually kept in libraries, relics from a bygone era. This note, on the other hand, was real. Made from trees. I held it up to my nose and caught a faint scent of cinnamon. 

I unfolded the note, and read the message scrawled in pencil: 

_“Human beings do not like being pushed about by gods. They may seem to, on the surface, but somewhere on the inside, underneath it all, they sense it, and they resent it.”_

_Come meet me when you’re ready._  
_6394 Veteris Rd_

I dropped the note like it had burned my fingertips, jumping to the door and swinging it open. I peeked my head out into the hall. Empty. My wristlet buzzed, a warning that I was not calm. I closed my door, taking deep breaths. I picked up the note, and looked around my room, wondering what to do with it. I ended up sliding it under one of my plant pots, leaving a corner of the paper visible. I put my back to it and calmed my breathing down, feeling my heart rate slow in tandem. I would deal with this later. For now, though - 

My train of thought was interrupted by a mechanical announcement:

_Nourishment available, human 7R02320Y5. Please proceed to your table for your meal in the next 15 minutes to optimize digestion._

My stomach rumbled, on cue, a Pavlovian response to the notification from my nourishment alcove. I sidled over to the table to sit down, and as I did so, a port opened in the wall and my meal slid out. I took the lid off, and was delighted to find spaghetti bolognese. Steam rose off the pasta dish, carrying the rich scent into my nose. I grinned appreciatively, silently thanking the staff training for the extra calories burned. The extra work was definitely improving my meals. I tucked in and savored each bite. The sauce was not meat, of course. In order to avoid complete environmental destruction, animal agriculture had been abandoned several decades ago in favor of synthetic and plant-based alternatives. I didn’t know the difference, although I’d heard some very old people grumble about lab-based meat not being any good. 

As I ate my pasta, my eyes kept sliding back to the note, tucked under one of my plants. What did that quote mean? Where was it from? More importantly, who was it from? Did it have anything to do with meeting Ben? Two strange events in one day seemed like too much to be a coincidence.

I finished the pasta, and the dish slid back into the port in the wall. My body felt fully satisfied: well-exerted from training and the run from the cafe, and nourished from my meal. My mind, on the other hand, was spinning. Meditation hadn’t helped, and I didn’t know if I would be able to focus on my readings. My daily readings usually consisted of a few journal articles about mechanical engineering. Occasionally, I would be recommended to run through a few computer simulations on fixing mechanical engines. I was pretty well-versed in mechanics by now, and the simulations were more and more complex. 

“WAALI, what’s my recommended activity?” I asked out loud, knowing my voice would be received by a number of different computers and by my wristlet.

_Human 7R02320Y5, recommended activity is a stroll to Park 7649._

That’s odd. Park 7649 is a quick walk away, but the sun was setting now, and park activities were usually recommended during daylight hours. It suited me well, though, because I knew, as did WAALI, that I wouldn’t have the attention span for mechanics. 

I pulled out my phone and tapped a series of buttons, prompting IdioSyn music to start playing. No audio inputs were necessary for IdioSyn, as it played directly into the person’s mind. The best part about IdioSyn was that the computer algorithms calculated exactly what type of music - the chords, the notes, the lyrics - would work best for each individual at each moment. It was, effectively, my own personal soundtrack. I set out on my walk, following the gentle curves of the neighborhood to the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quote is by Neil Gaiman from Anansi Boys


	3. No, of course it's you

I saw him sitting on a bench, watching me as I approached. He had a chiseled jaw, and long, dark eyelashes. His eyebrows were strong and framed his dark brooding eyes. A light five o’clock shadow graced his chin and cheeks. My IdioSyn crossfaded into music that I could only describe as romantic as I saw him, the tune swelling in my mind. My heart was set aflutter. His eyes found my face, and he broke into a smile. I blushed and answered his smile with one of my own. My wristlet buzzed, signalling me to slow down and stop as I approached him. It clicked then - this is why I was recommended to come here. I came to a stop near the man’s bench, pulling out my phone to cut the music. When it stopped, I felt a little more clear-headed. 

“Hi,” he said, and gestured to the bench beside him. 

“Hi,” I replied, taking a seat next to him on the bench. My wristlet buzzed in approval.

“Nice night for a spontaneous walk, hey?” he said with a cheeky smile.

“Yeah, it is. Definitely an out of the ordinary recommendation for me. What about you?” 

“This isn’t even my usual park. It’s 10 minutes further than the closer park to my apartment. This is a nice park, but I have to say, I think the one near my place is better,” he quipped, gazing around him.

The street lamps and park lighting kicked on at that moment, adjusting to the fading sunlight and illuminating the underside of the tree canopy. The greenery here was nice, I thought. 

“I’m Rey,” I said, turning to face him and extending my hand.

He took my hand in his. “Poe. So nice to meet you, Rey,” he answered, holding my gaze as well. 

He was charming. He was funny. In our brief time in the park, I found myself laughing to the point of tears twice, and blushing furiously a few times. We had a lot in common, including a love of mechanics and nature. Both of us had been recommended some of the same books recently, and consequently, we had a lot to talk about. Conversation with Poe was natural and easy. When we stood to say goodbye, he pulled me into a hug, and I felt how well my body fit against his. As we separated, he cupped my face in both his hands and said, “It’s been a pleasure to meet you at last, Rey. I know we’ll be meeting again soon.”

As I walked home, the way illuminated by street lamps, I remembered the way my breath caught in my throat when we were close. I traced my fingertips over my cheek, feeling the ghost of his hands over my face. I wondered what it would be like to kiss him. I wondered how he knew we’d be meeting again soon. I opened my phone, looking at the summary of recommendations that were lined up for me: 

_Sleep 8.5 hours_   
_Breakfast_   
_Quarterstaff training_   
_Lunch_   
_Cafe_   
_Readings_   
_Meditation_

As I looked at the screen, my recommendations changed, and my wristlet was buzzing with a tone I didn’t recognize. Quarterstaff training was changed to shopping and spa, and there was recommendation for Dinner Date at Chez Miroir after the cafe. My wristlet pinged again and the screen once again changed as I looked on, reverting to my previous schedule, with the addition of one item: Maz. I was going to see Maz tomorrow. 

…

One benefit to fighting droids was that the difficulty was scalable. It was never boring, and it was always a good workout. On the downside, it was always hard, and with the exception of the very last spar, it was almost demoralizing. I side stepped, narrowly avoiding a hit to my ribs. I ducked, avoiding another swing. It was getting easier to predict the sequences of movements that were coming based on the footwork of the droids. They were humanoid forms, so it was, in theory, like fighting a human. The exception was that when they landed a hit, the droid would always slow the speed of the staff right before impact so it was only a sharp tap. I still had bruises from training, and it still hurt, but I had never been seriously injured.

The familiar report came in at the end of the session:  
 _Human 7R0230Y5, you landed 18% more hits than your previous session, which is an improvement in the 96th percentile. Agility increased by 15% over the previous week. It is estimated that at this rate you will achieve proficiency within 3.2 months and mastery within 2.24 years. Calories burned projected to exceed daily intake by 13.2%, recommended nutritional input will be in your quarters when you arrive home. Recommended next activities are shower, and retire to cafe for daily readings. Afterwards, it is recommended that you visit Maz._

As I left the training quarters, my ears picked up the sounds of mechanical whirring and grunts. It sounded like there was someone else here. This was unusual, or even odd. There was no one else in the sector listed as recommended combat training, but yet, there it was again. Curiosity pulled me down the hallway, away from the showers and towards the source of the noises. Next to my training quarters, there were other rooms, apparently available for the same or similar purposes. Each was lined with a plexiglass wall with embedded holoscreens, so that the occupants of the room, or lack thereof could be seen from the outside, and if necessary, data could be displayed for training purposes. There were more training quarters here than I previously thought. Each one I passed by was empty, looking as if it had been unused for a long time. I came upon the occupied quarters then. 

A giant - there was no other word for him, really - man was training with a staff, facing two droids at once. His back was to me, and I stared, watching him manipulate the staff to land several crushing blows to the droids. A slate grey t-shirt was stretched over his upper body. His arms and back were heavily muscled, sweat rolling off of him. Despite his bulky physique and impressive height, he moved with such incredible grace. As he whirled around staff colliding with both droids, I finally got a good look at his face and gasped in shock. It was Ben. His dark hair swung around his face, and his gaze was utterly focused. Ben paused in his training then, leaning the staff against one of the droids. He took a sip of water from a nearby water bottle, and pulled his shirt off of his body. He then resumed, his movements as fiery as before. I stepped back involuntarily, and WAALI buzzed to let me know there was a spike in my heart rate. 

This just felt like too much to be a coincidence. What did this mean? My mind swirled, trying to pull an answer out of thin air, but nothing came. I turned and left quickly, hoping that Ben hadn’t seen me. As soon as I was in the shower, I let the water wash away the memory of seeing him. I just needed to focus on the next recommendation. With memories of Ben masterfully wielding his staff planting themselves firmly in my mind, my skin felt hot and itchy. I slid my hands over my body, and suppressed a shiver. I allowed myself to trace my fingers over my nipples, which had become hard. Warmth pooled in my belly, a feeling so potent that I felt dizzy. I slid my hands lower and a growing urgency pulled my hands in between my legs. My fingers found wetness there and as I pressed my fingers in, I couldn’t help but sigh with the sweet relief. 

My wristlet pinged then, interrupting the wave of sensations that had been washing through me. It was reminding me to get out of the shower and onto the next recommendation. 

I sighed as the water shut off and a towel was extended to me from a nearby hook. 

As I dressed, a text came in: 

_Hi, it’s Poe. WAALI gave me your number. How’s it going?_

I responded, _Hey, Poe, nice to hear from you. Things are good. I just finished training, and I’m just headed to grab some lunch. How are you?_

_Can’t complain. I got to meet this beautiful girl last night, and I can’t wait to see her again._

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling. _I hope you're talking about me._

_Oh no, after I met you, I was recommended another stroll to a different park and sat on a bench with another girl. We chatted for hours and hours._   
_No, of course it's you, beautiful._

I blushed and texted back. _What do your recommendations look like today?_

_Everything’s pretty standard, unfortunately. Hoping to get a recommendation to see you soon._

I went to the training gym’s cafeteria and had a quick lunch. I was eager to get to the next recommendation, which was seeing Maz. My tray with food was dispensed and I sat at a small table to eat, not bothering to savor the meal - a baked sweet potato with black beans, pico de gallo and a cashew sour cream. I couldn’t help but think about Ben. The images of him wielding the staff so expertly seemed burned into my mind, incessantly replaying. I shifted in my seat, trying to assuage the need for friction between my thighs. As I shifted, I felt myself growing wetter, and my mind replayed the images of Ben in my mind. His strong arms, inky black hair hanging around his face, his eyes solidly concentrated on the task. I wondered if he would have the same facial expression in other activities. My mind supplanted images of Ben over top of me, his muscular arms caging me beneath him as he stroked himself in and out of my pussy. His facial features directed at me - utter concentration, total control, but this mask ultimately gave way to an expression of pleasure. I shifted in my seat more. 

Sex education was built into our youth training, so I knew the mechanics of it all, and some basic aspects about pleasure. Most of the youth training was simulation-based learning that we completed at our own residences. I can still remember vividly some of the sex-ed lessons about masturbation. A VR-droid instructor provided a slideshow of how to touch ourselves for pleasure. Put your hand over your clitoris and using between 2 and 4 fingers, apply pressure in concentric circles at varied frequencies. If necessary, insert between 1 and 3 into the vagina and move fingers in and out. It was laughable, really, coming from a droid but I guess it’s the most expedient way of teaching people how to get off. Unnecessary sexual contact - or physical contact, really - of any kind was not outright forbidden, but implicitly prohibited. WAALI would match us up with a suitable partner once both were at the proper age and maturational stage, and that was that. People were matched on compatibility that was measured over a lifetime of data. Physical chemistry, intellectual interest and acuity, social habits… everything was accounted for. It was easy and simple with no mess. 

I realized I had been sitting at the table with an empty tray for some time after my wristlet buzzed twice. I returned the tray to the drop-off point and consulted my phone to double check the recommendation.

_Visit Maz Kanata._

As I looked, the screen flickered, but the words didn’t change. I pushed my phone back into my pocket and headed out into the sunlight that bathed the street.


End file.
